ESG in action: How we lead by example

Published: 17 March 2025

By Henrik Pedersen, Chief Executive Officer

At Adler & Allan, ESG is more than a framework – it’s the foundation of everything we do. It’s in the services we offer, the way we operate, and the impact we create for our clients and communities.

We frame ESG challenges around five critical areas and these are:

Proactively prevent and mitigate pollution events across all environments and contexts, placing a strong emphasis on tackling complex pollution challenges such as forever chemicals and PFAS, which are increasingly pervasive.
Effectively manage water resources, especially in regions with ageing water infrastructure. We aim to enhance wastewater infrastructure to prevent sewer pollution events and develop sustainable freshwater supply systems to meet rising demand.
Enhance biodiversity to not only bolster agricultural yields but also foster a sustainable world with a richer ecological landscape.
Facilitate the transition to new, clean energy sources, supporting society's journey towards net zero and thereby curbing pollution.
Adapt and mitigate the impact of climate change, ensuring our ability to thrive in a changing climate.

These challenges are no small task and we’re tackling this with our customers, but just as important is how we integrate these into the way operate. Simply put, we want to practice what we preach. This means we don’t just put ESG into action for our customers, we live by the same principles ourselves. This alignment between our services and our own ESG performance is what sets us apart.

Our 2024 ESG Report is a testament to how we are tackling these five challenges internally, showcasing the benchmarks we’ve set and the successes we’ve achieved as we embed sustainability, social responsibility, and governance excellence across every aspect of our business.

Leading by example: ESG in our operations

Over the past year, we’ve made substantial progress in measuring, refining, and strengthening our ESG commitments.

Industry benchmarking success: We have achieved a 13-point increase in our EcoVadis sustainability rating, elevating our position to the 80th percentile globally – a significant jump from the 49th percentile in 2023.
Carbon intensity reduction: Despite substantial business growth, we have successfully reduced carbon intensity by 19% compared to 2023, demonstrating a clear decoupling of emissions from expansion.
Social impact and inclusion: We employ over 115 ex-service personnel, with plans to further expand this initiative through an enhanced recruitment programme in 2025.
Health and safety: A 44% increase in health and safety training hours, alongside the launch of employee-led inclusivity programmes, underscores our commitment to workplace well-being.
Governance and ethical leadership: Strengthening business integrity, we have enhanced business ethics training, expanded supplier ESG assessments, and introduced a whistleblowing platform to reinforce transparency and accountability.

We know that businesses are increasingly held accountable – not just for what they deliver, but how they deliver it. That’s why we ensure the same ESG principles that guide our clients also shape our own operations and vice versa.

Driving ESG for our clients

Our clients trust us to provide solutions that enhance their ESG performance. Whether it’s preventing pollution, optimising asset performance, supporting climate adaptation (including increased rainfall and flood risk), or enabling the transition to low-carbon energy, our expertise helps businesses navigate the ESG landscape with confidence.

For example, our preventive maintenance strategies helped 753 clients reduce pollution risks before incidents could occur. We also treated 8,704 tonnes of pollution last year, safeguarding ecosystems and communities. These aren’t just numbers, they’re proof that proactive environmental management delivers real-world impact.

Beyond compliance and risk management, we actively co-create an ESG strategy and actionable solutions with our clients, tailored to industry-specific challenges. This ensures that businesses we work with aren’t just ticking boxes, but embedding ESG deeply into their long-term operations. Our new customer collaboration initiatives, such as interactive workshops, help us better understand how we can be a stronger ESG partner within our customers' supply chains. These initiatives ensure alignment between customer priorities and our own ESG strategy, allowing us to be both an effective partner and a leading example of ESG excellence in their supply chains.

What’s next? Building on our ESG platform

The benchmarks we’ve set in 2024 are a foundation, not a finish line. ESG is a journey, and we’re committed to pushing further – enhancing our decarbonisation plans, expanding our supplier ESG engagement, and setting even higher sustainability targets.

The full ESG in Action Report 2024 is available here.

I welcome your thoughts, ideas, and collaboration as we continue driving ESG forward – because when we work together, we create impact that lasts.

More about ESG at Adler & Allan